Legal & Contract Management
1. Overview & Mandate
Business Unit Purpose Legal & Contract Management is responsible for managing MorgueBoard LLC’s contractual, legal, and risk posture by establishing clear standards, processes, and guardrails for agreements, obligations, and legal exposure. This business unit exists to protect the company while enabling the business to operate efficiently and close deals without unnecessary friction.
Mandate Statement Legal & Contract Management exists to reduce legal and contractual risk through standardized agreements, clear escalation paths, and disciplined contract handling, while supporting Sales, Implementation, and Customer Success with practical, timely legal enablement.
Primary Accountability Owner
- Primary: Legal & Contract Management Owner (Nic Bavetta)
- Supporting: Executive Leadership, Sales (Revenue Operations), Finance & Accounting, Technical Compliance, Privacy & Security
- External: Outside Legal Counsel (as engaged)
2. Core Functions & Responsibilities
Core Functions
- Contract drafting, review, and negotiation
- Management of standard agreements (MSA, BAA, DPA, SOW, NDA)
- Legal risk identification and escalation
- Contract lifecycle management and record-keeping
- Coordination with outside counsel
- Legal policy and template maintenance
Explicit Responsibilities
- Maintain standard contract templates and fallback positions
- Review and approve non-standard contract terms
- Identify and escalate legal and contractual risks
- Coordinate execution and storage of signed agreements
- Support Sales with contract interpretation and negotiation guidance
- Ensure alignment between contracts and compliance obligations
Explicit Non-Responsibilities
- Sales execution or deal qualification
- Pricing or commercial strategy ownership
- Regulatory interpretation beyond contractual implications
- Day-to-day compliance operations
3. Fractional & Embedded Capability Partners
This section documents ongoing fractional or embedded partners that support Legal & Contract Management execution. These partners provide executional capability for defined scopes while accountability remains internal.
| Partner | Capability Provided | Engagement Type | Accountability Boundary | Primary Engagement Contact | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lorium Law (Lorium PLLC) | Contract review, legal advice, risk escalation | External / Advisory | Advisory only; legal accountability remains internal | Engagement Partner (per firm) | Primary outside counsel for contractual and legal matters |
4. Decision Rights & Authority Boundaries
Important Context The decision rights outlined in this section are intentionally high-level and directional. Formal, binding authority and escalation mechanisms are defined in the company’s Decision Rights & Governance Policy. In the event of conflict, the formal policy prevails.
Legal & Contract Management Owns Decisions Regarding:
- Contract language standards and fallback positions
- Approval or rejection of non-standard legal terms
- When to escalate matters to outside counsel
- Legal risk assessment and mitigation strategies
Does Not Own:
- Deal pursuit or qualification decisions (Sales)
- Product or delivery commitments (Product / Implementation)
- Financial budgeting or pricing decisions (Finance / Executive Leadership)
- Security and compliance policy ownership (Technical Compliance)
Escalation Triggers:
- Requests for non-standard indemnification, liability, or warranty terms
- Contract terms that conflict with compliance or delivery realities
- Material legal risk to the company
5. Key Interfaces & Dependencies
| Interface | Nature of Interaction |
|---|---|
| Sales (Revenue Operations) | Contract negotiation, deal support |
| Finance & Accounting | Billing terms, payment obligations |
| Technical Compliance, Privacy & Security | BAAs, DPAs, security representations |
| Implementation / Professional Services | SOW scope and delivery terms |
| Executive Leadership | Risk acceptance and escalation |
6. Budget Ownership & Cost Structure
Legal & Contract Management Budget Scope
- Outside legal counsel fees
- Contract management tools (if any)
- Legal document management and storage
Budget Ownership Model
- Legal manages spend within an approved budget
- Executive Leadership and Finance approve material legal expenditures
- Spend should be justified by risk reduction or contractual necessity
7. General KPIs & Performance Metrics
Contract Efficiency
- Contract turnaround time
- Percentage of deals using standard templates
Risk Management
- Number of non-standard terms accepted
- Legal escalations per deal
Operational Discipline
- Contract completeness and storage accuracy
8. Initiatives & Goals Tracking
| Initiative / Goal | Description | Owner | Success Criteria | KPI(s) | Target Date | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verify Contractual Insurance Commitments | Review all customer and partner contracts to identify insurance requirements and verify that MorgueBoard LLC maintains current insurance declarations that meet or exceed contractual obligations, with particular focus on cyber liability coverage. | Legal | All contractual insurance requirements documented and verified against active policies | % of contracts reviewed, coverage gaps identified/resolved | Q3 2026 | Planned | Coordinate closely with Finance and Technical Compliance; prioritize cyber insurance |
9. Maturity Roadmap
Current State Founder-led contract handling with reliance on outside counsel for complex matters and limited standardization.
Next State Standardized contracts, predictable review processes, and reduced dependency on ad hoc legal support.
Future State Mature legal function with strong internal capability, minimal deal friction, and proactive risk management.
10. Document Revision History
| Version | Date | Description of Change | Author | Approved By | Approval Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 2026-01-04 | Document Creation | Nic Bavetta |